Have you ever received news that immediately caused your heart to sink with feelings of panic and anxiety? Well, one nurse did. She was caring for a precious five-year-old little boy (a charming son of a wonderful, wonderful man) when she (let's just call her Brook) received some very disturbing and devastating news. The little boy's father and grandfather had both been killed earlier that day. Immediately calculating what she saw as the implication of the news she had heard, Brook picked up the little boy she was caring for and fled in haste for her own life as well as his.
A tragic accident happened as Brook hurried to leave. She accidentally dropped the little boy, who took a terrible fall that would make him crippled in both feet from that day on.
This story is pulled right out of the Bible. It is the story of King Saul and his favored son, Jonathan. Jonathan was next in line to be king. He also had a 5-yr old son named Mephibosheth. It was known in Israel that God had chosen for Himself a king after His own heart (David). So, when Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle on the same day, it was not uncommon for the house of the dead king to go into complete panic and hiding. When a new king would take over, they would usually annihilate the entire immediate family of the old reigning king to prevent any revolting that could overthrow the new kingship.
Here's what was different in this situation however. What Brook did not know when she took off in haste, is that the little boy she cared for was not only covered under a very important oath that Jonathan and David the new king had made to each other as beloved trusted friends, this new king ached for the loss of his friend Jonathan and desired to show extravagant kindness to anyone belonging to his house. So, the crippling of this handsome 5-yr old prince was a tragedy that did not have to happen. He was covered! He was not only safe but to be favored among ALL men.
Is this not true of us in so many instances? Do we not hear of some difficult news, (a Dr.'s report, an economic crisis, a challenge we're facing) and go into complete panic without factoring in the COVENANT into which we were grafted by God's gracious Son?! Do we not lose sight time and time again of the promises and the vows that God has made in His Word concerning us and do we not let our fears paralyze and hold our own children back because we are too afraid of what might come out of this and that situation? Have we not crippled our own dreams and passions because we were too afraid of what others might say, think or not believe of us?
Friends and families! Be reminded on this day that we have an oath from a God who has NEVER broken a promise! He promises to uphold us with His right hand, to provide for our every need and to bring us before Himself faultless and without fear. May we stand upright today in courage and face the fears that have time and time again threatened to cripple our lives as well as the little ones God has entrusted into our care. May this story remind us to never lose sight of the covenant that covers each one of us and keeps us in God's complete favor (no matter what is going on around us). Let it be said of each of us, that when fear knocked, we first ran to the PROMISE because we knew without wavering, that the ONE who promised was faithful. Demonstrate regularly to your children how you have been greatly EMPOWERED by factoring God back into every "news equation" you hear.
Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth. (2nd Samuel 4:4)